Congratulations to Barry Martin and the Everett Parks Department for Mutt Strut 2002. It was an impressive success the first time out. The event was dedicated to the creation of a park just for dogs and their people. A truly worthwhile cause.
It is also heartening to hear that the Animal Shelter of North County is reopening. It takes the combined efforts of many concerned citizens and organizations to prevent the euthanasia of adoptable pets.
It was, however, disheartening, to see the words “no kill” still being used by some as a tool to promote their organizations. According to statistics put out by the Animal Shelter of North County, that shelter took in a total of 1,966 dogs and cats through the years 2000-2001. That is a commendable effort. In the same period, the Everett Animal Shelter took in a total of 16,047. This means that the north county shelter chose to turn thousands of animals away. Many of these animals were considered unadoptable. Most of these animals ended up at the Everett Animal Shelter. Public shelters, like Everett, have little choice but to take all that comes in. The alternative, forcing people to dump animals in the neighborhoods, is unacceptable. No one is really “managing” this regional problem. We are all doing what we can.
The north county shelter has stated that from now on they will turn nothing away. If this is true, they will indeed have an effect on the problem. All citizens in north Snohomish County will have a closer option when they must give up their animal or stray. The load on Everett will be less. Fewer animals will be euthanized.
On the positive side, the Everett Animal Shelter, with the help of organizations like PAWS, Purrfect Pals and the Animal Shelter of North County, was able to place 6,257 pets in homes in the above two-year period. Many others were returned to their owners. The euthanasia rate is much lower than past years.
We must recognize that this is a regional problem, end the divisiveness, and work together.
Everett Animal Control
Everett
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